The present invention relates to magnetic tape cassettes, and more particularly to a video magnetic tape cassette which has a guard panel adapted to cover a tape withdrawal opening which is formed in the front part of the cassette body.
When a video magnetic tape cassette is loaded into the magnetic recording and reproducing device (VTR--Video Tape Recorder), a mechanism in the VTR pulls the magnetic tape out of the cassette through an opening formed in the front part of the cassette for recording or reproducing signals. When the cassette is not in use, the opening is closed by a guard panel, which is urged to close the opening at all times, in order to protect the tape and prevent the entrance of dust into the cassette.
The guard panel is a substantially U-shaped structure having a front wall adapted to cover the front part of the opening and side walls extending from opposite ends of the front wall perpendicular to the front wall. These side walls are pivotally supported on the side walls of the cassette so that the opening can be opened or closed by the guard panel. The guard panel is locked at its closed position by a locking member.
Recently, portable video systems usable outdoors have been developed. A small cassette used in such a system is more likely to suffer from the trouble that dust or the like sticks to the surface of the magnetic tape than in a conventional stationary video system.
In view of the foregoing, an object of the invention is to provide a magnetic tape cassette in which the tape withdrawal opening is positively closed when the cassette is not in use.